The Hellboy Reboot Will Surprise A Lot Of People, Ian McShane Says

It's no secret that superhero movies are everywhere. Comic book adaptations have been proven the most profitable and popular genre in the business, with plenty of studios making their own attempts at box office supremacy. Guillermo del Toro adapted the Hellboy comics back in the early 2000's, and now a reboot is heading to theaters starring Stranger Things' David Harbour as the title character.

Joining David Harbour in the new Hellboy cast is Ian McShane, who has been seen in the John Wick and Pirates of the Caribbean franchises, as well as Game of Thrones. McShane is taking on the role of Hellboy's father figure Trevor Bruttenholm, which was played in the original Hellboy movies by John Hurt. According to the 76 year-old actor, the new movie is going to pack plenty of surprises. He recently said:

Hellboy, yeah! I think that’s going to surprise a lot of people. David [Harbour of Stranger Things] is a marvelous actor. He just fills out the role. It was nice and bittersweet taking over [Professor Bruttenholm] from a dear old friend of mine, John Hurt. But it’s not Part 3. It’s a complete reboot of [Guillermo del Toro’s] Hellboy, and I think they picked the right guy in David. It was a pleasure to work with him and be in Bulgaria for three weeks, a country I’ve never been to before. Greatest fresh vegetables I’ve ever tasted. And the scripts are funny and smart and bright, and the action is fantastic, and I have grandkids who love all that. They can’t wait.

It looks like Hellboy is going to be a blockbuster that somewhat defies genre, at least according to Ian McShane's description of the project. The script will feature comedy and brightness, while the R-rated reboot will also be far more violent and bloody than Guillermo del Toro's set of films. So basically, there's no telling what's coming down the pipeline.

Ian McShane's comments to the New York Times are sure to excite fans of Hellboy, as well as moviegoers who are curious about the new adaptation. Comic fans are always looking to how accurately the work on the page will be adapted for the silver screen. Guillermo del Toro brought the colorful world to life through his movies, but the PG-13 rating prevented them from being as brutal as the title character is wont to be. So that'll likely be one big way the upcoming movie will surprise audiences.

But Ian McShane also referenced how comedic and light Hellboy will be at the same time. The trailers showed how much attitude David Harbour will have as the big red guy, and it'll be fascinating to see how "funny and smart and bright" the bloody superhero adaptation ends up being.

All will be revealed when Hellboy arrives in theaters on April 12, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Double majored in theater and literature during undergrad. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his famous actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid.